‘Mistress’ in bed with IFC

Film unit nabs rights to Breillat drama

IFC Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to Catherine Breillat’s drama “The Last Mistress.”

IFC plans to release the film day-and-date in theaters and on local cable’s pay-per-view platform as part of its strategy to boost exposure for indie projects.

“The Last Mistress” will be part of the 45th New York Film Festival, which runs Sept. 28-Oct. 14. Other IFC titles at the fest will include “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” “Paranoid Park” and “Flight of the Red Balloon.”

“Mistress,” based on a tome by 19th-century Gallic novelist Jules-Amedee Barbey d’Aurevilly, was produced by Jean-Francois Lepetit and directed by Breillat. It was in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and stars Asia Argento and Fu’ad Ait Aattou.

Pic, set in 19th-century France, centers on the love affair between a distinguished member of the aristocracy and his tempestuous Spanish mistress.